The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1887-01-06
PINK BOOTS.
n Story Of Interest in the Cause of Tenn
pCrunCc.

a drunken man came staggering along
village street. AS he reached corner,
ne saw group of boys watching some
thing across the way. He had not en-
tlrely lost his senses, SO he wondered
what they found SO interesting.
"Wha.a-ar-yer-yer lookin' a-at?"
"Well, old fellow" answered Billy
Dor, "we're looking for beauty to
come out of that door over there"
"a beau-tie?"
eyes, beauty; but go on, there is
no use o lingering to sec Pink Boots;
your old, rcd eyes can't sec half across
he street."
But tie rude boy was mistaken; the
red eyes wcro not quite SO blood-shot as
usual, and they wcrc looking with us
much interest as the younger eyes Mt
Pink Boots, who just then opened the
door of the store opposite them and
came out. Pink Boots was II beautiful
girl of ten years, and her hands full of
t1owers-roses, lilies and carnations. She
walked half dozen or more steps down
the walk, and was just stepping into q
handsome carriage when another little
girl came in sight. For Il brief moment
the two children stood in strong con-
trast-Florencc Burr, with glowing, hap
Ply face, and Celia Hunt, with her pale.
distressed one. Florence was dressed in
an elaborately embroidered pink cash
mere and her feet were encased in beau
tltul pink kid buttOned boots-for Flor
ence was going to tea party. She
wore also broad-brimmcd lat with
noddlng pink plumes. AS for Celia, she
wore IN old faded dress, SO shabby that
1T revealed her bruised ankles, which
were bare like her feet. An old veil
tied about her pinched face did duty as
head protector, but no wrap covered her
thin shoulders, although one was much
needed this chilly day.
The carriage drove away with Flor
cnce, and Celia stood gazing after it. OF
course the drunken man saw the Door
child, so did the boys. The latter
laughed, and Billy Dorr said: Il tell
you it pays better TO sell liquor than it
does to drink it. WHAT'S your opinion,
Daddy Hunt"
Daddy Hunt did not answer; he
stood stupidity gazing at his barcfootcd,
weary-faccd child.
81 say, old fellow, did you buy Cclia's
fall outfit at the Same store that Pink
Boots father bought hcrs?"
"Shut up, now, will you? If YOU
don't, IN knock the breath out Of it,"
The drunkard spoke savagcly and
raised his hand to execute his threat,
when suddenly; little arm touch his,
and voice said coaAin8Iy: ''Comr,
father"
The man suffered himself to be led
away from the hcartleSH group; cruel
Billy singing after them: 80 father,
dear father, come home
1t was u long walk to the drunknrd's
homo. Before he reached it, be wne
sober. "Cclin," he said "wouldn't YOU
like some pink boots?"
"No, father, [ would not want them"
"Why not?"
"Thcy wouldn't correspond with my
rags, the child said bitterly; "and /
Wouldn't wear Florence Burrs pink
boots ii | had silk dresses to wear with
them, she added savagcly.
Agnln her father questioned: "Why
not?"
"Becausc they wore bought with
money that ought to have boug ght bread
and meat for poor starving children and
their crying mothers. =
"Who told you so?"
Nobody told me, | found out for
myself"
"You're strange child, Celia"
"Ycs, perhaps J. am, but L love you,
father"
And Celia put her cold hand within
her fathers.
81 don't know how you can" he said,
chokingly.
81 guess it's because you're my faith
er, was the innocent answer.
AS father and daughter entered the
house, the mother arose, put the sleep
hO 1Nn in 70 n+,,l,o
"Como to supper"
Such supper for a family Of six!
only part OF stale loaf Of bread and
some weak tea. The patient weary wife
would not have been surprised at her
husband had he thrown the bread across
the room at the wall and hurled the tea
pot after 1t, cursing her at the same time,
us he had done often before, but she WAS
surprised when he rose from the table
Just after seating himsclf-and said hus-
kily, "Eat this miserable stuff if you can,
poor things! I must be gone"
He started for the door weak and faint,
but determined. His wife followed him,
beseeching, ooh! don't go out again to-
night, Fred, don't the baby is sick,
and"
She said no more for with the words :.
''Ihe little follow is sick, is hep" the
father went back to the cradle, stopped
and kissed his infant child for the first
time, and arose with tears glistening upon
his eyelashcs.
"Im not going out to drink, Mary.
DO not be worried I'll be back by nine
O'Clock, and if the child should get
worse, Celia will find me at Sergeant
Wright's."
"What do you suppose it all means,
mother" asked Celia, as soon as the
father was gone.
81 don't know, child but perhaps it
m means there is blessing coming on us
all. Pray to God that it may be So"
"Mothcr," said Celia, "father asked
me this afternoon if [ wanted pink boots,
What do you think of that?"
''lt was q strange question, child. I'd
be thankful if he'd save enough to buy
you some black ones. Your feet arc blue
with cold"
At nine o'clock face pcopod through
the little curtainIc8s window of the kit.
chen. The eyes saw IL dcsolato picture,
1t was this :; o bare cold-looIling room a